WEBVTT WE ALL SAID NO, THE BALL WASDROPPED.IN THE OLD DAYS THEY MIGHT'VESAID THAT WAS DROPPED.WE ARE STARTING TO LIKE THEREPLAY.GREAT GOING, JULIAN.I THINK OF GUYS LIKE MARCUSCANNON AND THE OFFICE ONLINE.THAT IS SOME LINE.FORMAT SLATER, AWARDED THE2017BART STARR AWARD FOR THECHARACTER AND LEADERSHIP HE HASSHOWN BOTH ON AND OFF THE FIELD.MALCOLM MITCHELL.IT'S TRUE.MALCOLM MITCHELL, WHO HAS AROOKIE HANDLE THE PRESSURE OFTHE SUPER BOWL LIKE AN ABSOLUTETRUE VETERAN.WAY TO GO, MALCOLM.[APPLAUSE]GOOD JOB.NATE EBNER, WHO PLAYED ON OUROLYMPIC RUGBY TEAM LAST SUMMER.PRETTY GOOD ATHLETE, RIGHT?AND IN BRAZIL.HE WAS PLAYING AND DOING REALLYWELL.AND IS AN ALL-PRO SPECIAL TEAMGUY AND PLAYER.NATE, CONGRATULATIONS.WHERE IS NATE?WHICH IS A TOUGHER SPORT,FOOTBALL OR RUGBY?[LAUGHTER]I HAD A FEELING YOU MIGHT SAYTHAT.EVERYONE PLAYED A ROLE ANDEVERYONE PLAYED AS CHAMPIONS.IT WAS THE FIRST OVERTIME GAMEIN SUPER BOWL HISTORY, AND ITENDED WITH A LEGENDARY VICTORYFOR THIS PROUD FRANCHISE AND FORTHESE ABSOLUTELY TERRIFICPLAYERS AND COACHES.YOU HAVE THE BEST RECORD INFOOTBALL WITH 14 WINS AND ONLYTWO LOSSES.THAT DOES NOT HAPPEN BYACCIDENT.IT TAKES HARD WORK, DEDICATIONAND A COMMITMENT BY EVERY MEMBEROF THE TEAM TO WORK TOGETHER INPURSUIT OF THE ULTIMATE GOAL.A GOLDEN VERY FEW PEOPLEACHIEVE.YOU HAVE ACHIEVED IT FIVE TIMES,MANY OF YOU.AND YOUR COGENT OWNER HAVEACHIEVED IT FIVE TIMES.GREAT, GREAT TALENTS.GREAT, GREAT PEOPLE.WHETHER YOU'RE TRYING TO WIN ASUPER BOWL OR REBUILD OURCOUNTRY, AS COACH BELICHICKWOULD SAY, THERE ARE NO DAYSOFF.AND JUST A QUICK STORY ABOUT THECOACH.I HAD WON THE PRIMARIESAND IWAS THIS RATHER HEATEDELECTION A FEW OF YOU READABOUT.HE WROTE ME THIS BEAUTIFULLETTER AFTER THE PRIMARIESCONGRATULATIONS.HE SAID ALL SORTS OF THINGS THATWERE REALLY GOOD.IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL LETTER.IT WAS VERY CLOSE TO GOINGBEFORE THE ELECTION.I CALLED UP AND SAID, COACHDOYOU MIND IF I AD THE LETTERTONIGHT TO THE STADIUM FULL OFPEOPLE IN A VERY, VERY BIG ANDIMPORTANT STATE.IT WAS MUCH BETTER.HE MADE UP THE GREATEST LETTERAND I DID WELL IN THAT STATE,THANK YOU.HE IS JUST A VERY SPECIAL GUY.HE IS TOUGH.IS HE TOUGH OR NICE GUY?REAL TOUGH, RIGHT?HE IS TOUGH, SMART AND HE HAS AGREAT HEART.THE PATRIOT COACHES AND THESEGREAT PLAYERS HAVE DELIVEREDICONIC AMERICAN SPORTS MOMENTSTHAT WILL LAST FOREVER.WE WILL WATCH THAT GAME OVER ANDOVER AND OVER.THAT GAME WILL LAST FOREVER.FIVE SUPER BOWL WINS IN THE ERAOF FREE AGENCY, WHICH IS REALLY,REALLY TOUGH.WHAT AN ACHIEVEMENT.AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS TO SUPERBOWL CHAMPION NEW ENGLANDPATRIOTS.WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK AVERY SPECIAL AND TALENTED MAN,AND A GREAT FRIEND OF MINE FOR A

The Super Bowl champion New England Patriots made a traditional celebratory visit to the White House Wednesday, a normally joyous ritual marred by the prison suicide hours earlier of former teammate Aaron Hernandez.

Not all the team members were on hand to accept personal congratulations from President Donald Trump. Star quarterback Tom Brady notified the White House that he was dealing with a "personal family matter" and would not attend the ceremony. Six others had already signaled that they would take a pass, some for political reasons.

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Shortly before the event, Brady posted a photo of his parents on Instagram, wishing them a happy anniversary.

One player made an impromptu appearance at a White House press before the official ceremony. Tight end Rob Gronkowski stuck his head in the door of the briefing room as Press Secretary Sean Spicer was holding a televised press briefing.

Trump's welcome to the team was coming hours after the news from Massachusetts prisons officials that ex-Patriot tight end Aaron Hernandez hanged himself in his prison cell.

Hernandez, who played for the Patriots from 2010 to 2012, was serving a life sentence for a murder conviction. Days ago, the 27-year-old former tight end was acquitted of a double murder.

A team spokesman said the Patriots were aware of the reports of Hernandez's death but that the club wasn't expected to comment.

Trump has particularly close ties to the Patriots, counting owner Bob Kraft and coach Bill Belichick as friends. One of Trump's signature "Make America Great Again" hats was spotted in Tom Brady's locker in 2015.

Kraft was one of at least seven NFL team owners who gave $1 million each to Trump's inaugural committee, a new fundraising report shows. Others include the owners of the Houston Texans, the Washington Redskins, the Jacksonville Jaguars and the LA Rams. Kraft gave the money via his Kraft Group LLC.

Besides Brady, six members of the team were not expected at Wednesday's event.

After the triumphant victory, tight end Martellus Bennett quickly made it clear he was not coming to the White House and other teammates followed. Many noted their differences with the Republican administration.

Defensive back Devin McCourty told Time Magazine that "I don't feel accepted in the White House. With the president having so many strong opinions and prejudices I believe certain people might feel accepted there while others won't."

Players have turned down White House invites ever since such events began to take off under President Ronald Reagan. That includes Brady in 2015. He cited a "family commitment" at the time, but there was speculation he declined because of some unflattering comments a spokesman for President Barack Obama made about the "Deflategate" scandal.

The team's White House visit caps a dramatic Super Bowl victory. In the first such game to go to overtime, the Patriots pulled off a stunning rally from 25 points down to beat the Atlanta Falcons.